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President Donald Trump railed against Minnesota in front of a global audience Wednesday over local resistance to his ongoing deportation campaign.

Trump spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, for more than an hour. He touched on a range of topics, including clashes in Minnesota between federal agents and protesters over a prolonged immigration crackdown.

“And then ICE gets beat up by stupid people, by leadership in Minnesota,” Trump said. “We are actually helping Minnesota so much, but they don’t appreciate it. Most places do.”

The Trump administration has released only limited information about the thousands of immigrants arrested over nearly two months; some citizens have also been detained as part of the sweep, including some serving as observers. The president and federal officials tout removal of those with violent criminal records, but people without past offenses have also been detained for lacking proper status as have some who attempted to show residency documents to officers.

Later, Trump told the audience that Minnesota is an example of a place where embrace of foreign cultures has weakened America. Minnesota is home to the nation’s largest population of people of Somali descent, which has in itself attracted caustic words from the president.

“The situation in Minnesota reminds us that the west cannot mass import foreign cultures which have never built a successful society of their own. We’re taking people from Somalia. And Somalia is a failed, it’s not a nation. Got no government. Got no police. Got no military. Got nothing.”

The latest on ICE in Minnesota

Brian Bakst

Author

President Donald Trump took his criticism of Minnesota leaders and protests overseas. He touched on the strife in the state during a speech to the World Economic Forum.

US President Donald Trump delivers a special address during the World Economic Forum.

Trump slams Minnesota at global forum in Switzerland

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